We aimed to review the population development and conservation history of Arabian gazelles (Gazella arabica acaciae) in Israel, to summarise conservation-related research and to provide future recommendations. 1. We researched published online material as well as files and archives of the Israel Nature and Park Authority, compiling old documents, field notes, numerous unpublished reports and photographs. 2. The population development-since monitoring started in 1964 is viewed in a historical context. The conservation history was critically revised and screened for the most eminent threats, including low fawn survival, high predation pressure, low genetic diversity (inbreeding), competition with dorcas gazelles (Gazella dorcas) and climate change. 3. We describe what conservation actions were implemented over a period of 30 years, the success and drawbacks of these measures, and what research projects were carried out to facilitate conservation. 4. Based on those results, we aimed to give future recommendations, delineating scenarios that might be useful to reverse the population decline, such as captive breeding and translocations, out-breeding, irrigation, water and food supply, predator control through fencing or culling and parasite surveillance. 5. Finally, we discussed the proposed capitulation, allowing the population to go extinct in the face of further emerging threats like climate change or disease outbreaks. We emphasise the importance of this population for the survival of the species in general, but also for the functional diversity of the hyper-arid desert ecosystem in the southern Negev
